The Official US President Election Thread

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Nurvingiel
I have heard that from many people - all of whom believe it for religious reasons. Outside of religion, human rights is what we usually base morality on. Two men or two women marrying is not a human rights violation.

We don't, but maybe we should. If there was a polygamy/polyandry movement, I wouldn't oppose it. What we did is change the definition of marriage to say "two people" instead of "a man and a woman". Who's to say that it shouldn't just say "committed people"? I don't have a problem with either a man or a woman having more than one spouse, as long as all spouses are treated with respect, and treated equally. This applies to two person marriages too, in my mind. (Polyandry is not widely practiced, but it's where a woman has multiple husbands.)

See - again there is far more to marriages than declaring each others love. There are tax issues, inheritance , benefits, insurance issues and everything.

Now if you allow polygamy - and it's practice is based on "being treated with respect and equality" who is to enforce this?

That being said - this is getting way off course on the discussion. I haven't really even heard the gay rights issue being brought up in the debates too much.

I agree. And the sooner the better. Good relations with the US are really important to our economy, and in general.

It is - we don't have the longest undefended border in the world for no reason.

I acknowledge I'm living a pipe dream for the UN, but I think human rights violators should be kicked out of the UN. They can re-enter once they stop abusing human rights, and make reparations. This action alone would garner a lot more respect for the UN. They took important action, and now none of their members aren't hypocrites when calling for peace.

I agree with you - if the UN kicked out countries who did not have freedom for ALL their citizens - I would have a lot more respect. Many of the Middle Eastern countries live under the protection of the UN - yet support terrorism and commit aweful human rights abuses. Look at what happened right before the US invaded Iraq - Iraq was elected to Chair the Disarmament Committee. Libys was elected to Chair the Human Rights Committee. - Those are the things that bring absolutely no respect for the UN from the US and the general American public. How can you believe an organization really espouses peace - when they vote countries like that into those positions?

I sort of remember that. Hard to believe it was four years ago now. I think that's where everything started going downhill.

That was the issue that put Canada and US relations on the deep slide they have been on up to the point Chretian stepped down. Now it is time to look to the future and see if we can reverse the damage he caused in our relations.